


Reunion of Light and Darkness

by Avexiss



Series: Star Wars: The Old Republic - Shattered Alliances [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Aliens, Bisexual Character, Chiss (Star Wars), Coruscant, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, Female Protagonist, Fights, Forbidden Love, Force Bond (Star Wars), Galactic Republic (Star Wars), Gran - Freeform, Gray Force Users (Star Wars), Human, Humor, Jedi, Kaleesh, Lesbian Character, Light-Hearted, Lightsabers, Mirialans (Star Wars), Planet Nar Shaddaa (Star Wars), Planet Zakuul (Star Wars), Post-Star Wars: The Old Republic - Knights of the Eternal Throne, Secret Relationship, Sexual Humor, Sith, Sith Empire (Star Wars), Sith Intelligence, Space Flight, Space Stations, Spies & Secret Agents, Star Wars: The Old Republic - Knights of the Eternal Throne, Star Wars: The Old Republic - Knights of the Eternal Throne Spoilers, Strong Female Characters, The Force, Vaginal Fingering, Zabraks (Star Wars), Zeltrons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:08:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27438589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avexiss/pseuds/Avexiss
Summary: War between the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire looms.With the Eternal Fleet destroyed, the Eternal Alliance mustchoose a side in the coming conflict.As millions brace themselves for renewed hostilities illegalshadowports are flooded with refugees and careercriminals alike, all desperate to escape the inevitable clashbetween the galaxy's superpowers and eke out a livinghowever they can.At one such port, the former Alliance pilot and one-timeJedi Padawan Zhavi Waverunner nervously awaits thearrival of a dark and mysterious presence, unaware thatthe confrontation will shape the course of her destiny...
Relationships: Zhavi Waverunner/Loreli Patek
Series: Star Wars: The Old Republic - Shattered Alliances [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2004589





	1. Chapter 1

  
**Zhavi Waverunner** , _Jedi Knight and freighter pilot (Human)._  
 **Loreli Patek/Isla Ahnkett** , _Sith assassin and Intelligence agent (Chiss).  
_ **Nomi Sofora-Waverunner** , _Republic army veteran (Mirialan)_.  
 **Yuri Waverunner** , _Republic army veteran (Human/Zabrak hybrid)_.

**_25 years after the[Treaty of Coruscant](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Treaty_of_Coruscant)..._ **

Zhavi tugged uncomfortably at the collar of her flightsuit. A wasted effort to casually raise it a little higher and hide as much of her face as possible from the wandering eyes she could feel boring into the back of her skull. Shadowports were great for anyone looking to keep a low profile but they were cesspits, and cesspits attracted flies.

Twice already she'd slapped a nimble hand away from her pockets and yet she was still lighter on credits than she been when she'd first arrived, and when she'd first approached the bar a handsy [Gran](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Gran/Legends) had made drunken advances. A [Zeltron](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Zeltron/Legends) prostitute had tried to use his pheromones to seduce her into committing to an hour of his services and the bartender had short-changed and aggressively rebuffed her when she'd called him on it.

Sometimes, she missed her old life.

The underworld wasn't her world. In spite of all the years she'd spent living in it. Familiar as it might've been, she was an outsider here, with a shock of blonde hair and relatively clean clothes that were a beacon to the kinds of unwashed crooks and villains who took advantage of anyone and everyone, sometimes for a few credits, sometimes for the fun of it. Not that she wasn't expecting trouble. She'd seen the reflection of herself in her flightsuit before she left the shuttle. Dressing like a scumbag didn't mean she could ever truly pass herself off as one - and she'd spent enough of her life trying.

The drink she'd ordered sat on the bar, untouched save for a single first sip. Zhavi was starting to worry the bartender would make a fuss when she finally felt a twinge through the [Force](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/The_Force/Legends), a soft nudge that alerted her to her target's arrival. Zhavi stood from her stool as nonchalantly as possible, trying not to let her eagerness show to anyone watching as she abandoned her drink in favour of the exit, only to be accosted by the same Gran as before.  
“<We m-meetin' again sweet, sweet angel.>” He said in slurred [Huttese](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Huttese/Legends). “<Still pumped an' r-ready t' go if you are my loveliness. Say the word and I'll start the… heh, the pumpin'.>”  
“No thanks. Here on business.”  
“<C'mooooon!>” He swerved to block her as she tried to move past him. “<Don't be a bitch sweetheart. I'm not Human but tha' don't mean y' need t' be shy. Ol' Byax can show you what no Human man ever could.>” The Gran, Byax presumably, began to snicker as though he couldn't contain his amusement, which Zhavi empathised with. “<Girl like you's too pretty t' be goin' home alone tonight.>”  
“Well by my reckonin' its still early, so I got plenty'a time t' fix that. Now if y'll excuse me...”  
“<C'moooooon!”  
Her patience expired, Zhavi finally gave up and threw her fist from her side, striking Byax - hard - in the stomach and forcing him to double over. He tipped to one side to vomit - away from her, thankfully - then toppled over into the pool he'd created when being both off-balance and drunk came to its inevitable conclusion.

Zhavi hated to make a scene, or at least she did today, anyway. It drew unwanted attention. Worse, it made her feel good when she knew it shouldn't. Violence wasn't the answer. It _shouldn't_ have to be the answer. How many times had she been told that?

She left the bar far more speedily than she'd entered, glancing over her shoulder every now and then as she moved through the eerie quiet of the dusty little station, tracing the presence in the Force to its location and following the ethereal scent like a spaceport sniffer dog. Eventually, she stepped into a small connecting corridor and stopped dead. Her eyes fixed on the black-clad figure standing at the opposite end.

A [Chiss](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Chiss/Legends) \- the [Sith Empire's](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Sith_Empire_\(Post%E2%80%93Great_Hyperspace_War\)) enigmatic alien allies - with eyes a blazing and pupil-less red that struck fear into simple folk and the well-travelled alike.

Her skin was an unusual shade of pale cobalt, a shade that Zhavi had only ever seen on one individual in those rare moments when she spied a Chiss outside Imperial space, though she stood with her arms clasped formally behind her back and regarded Zhavi with a neutral expression just like any other Imperial. A sleek caped garment that was completely creaseless exaggerated just how out of place she was in such a grotty location and her hair, a black that glistened with streaks of silver when it caught the light, was just as well-groomed, sporting a perfectly styled swirl on one side while the length was given free - if tidy - reign over her shoulders.

With a calm flick of her wrist towards the wall, she manipulated the [blast door](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Blast_door/Legends) controls on the nearby wall to seal the portal behind her. After one final check over her shoulder Zhavi did the same, locking them in together and away from prying eyes. The Chiss smiled tauntingly, wetting her lips as she began to glide towards Zhavi.  
“I had rather hoped we would meet again, [Jedi](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Jedi/Legends).” She purred in a crisp Imperial accent, every word enunciated with the kind of perfect, enticing precision one would expect from a well-educated servant of the Empire. “It has been _far_ too long.”  
“It has.” She replied, removing her [lightsaber](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Lightsaber/Legends) from her jacket's inner pocket. “Almost didn't sense y' when y' got here.”  
“Perhaps I am more well-versed in masking my presence than the last time our paths crossed...”  
“Or maybe it's really just bin too long.”  
“Oh that was never in doubt.” She unclipped her cape and allowed it to flutter to the floor by her feet, delaying her words for dramatic effect. “Was it?”

Snatching the horned lightsaber hilt from her belt, the Chiss dropped into a sudden dash towards Zhavi with an animalistic flicker in both her features and Force presence. The former Jedi braced herself. She'd been anticipating this encounter for months.  
  
It really had been too long.


	2. Chapter 2

_**18 ATC, e** **ight months into the Eternal Empire's invasion of the known galaxy...**_

Loreli had been cut off. [Hutt](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Hutt/Legends) forces overhead had been decimated, their [Republic](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Galactic_Republic/Legends) allies fleeing to save their ships for the defence of their own territory and the ground war was turning against them at an alarming rate. She'd managed to hitch a ride out of one warzone and into another, and that gave her a glimpse of information her superiors would never reveal to a lowly, masterless [Sith](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Sith/Legends); the [Eternal Empire](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Eternal_Empire) was winning - against them and everyone else.

It was an apocalypse.

Any attempt to assist would be a wasted effort; the [Hutts were a Republic vassal](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Makeb_treaty) now and even if they weren't, they were self-serving cowards who deserved the rain of fire the Eternal Empire would bring down on them. Loreli only intended to escape before she got caught up in that deluge.

The trouble was, she was on the far side of town directly opposite the starport, which was the only place she'd find a shuttle. The fighting in the streets was thick, with the Hutt lackeys and the crowds of underworld scum caught in the assault doing their best to fight the Force-wielding warriors with little in the way of success. Loreli was smarter; she kept her weapon inactive, threw her hood over her head and avoided charging into the fray on the main streets, instead taking a path through buildings that'd be ruined in the initial bombardment.

She scrambled up the collapsed second story of the first building she reached, using a makeshift ramp to get up higher and hop between the fallen structures, nearly losing her footing more than once but making damned good time as compensation for the risk. Occasionally she dared to glance outwards through the gaps in the fire-blackened ruins to see what was happening and every time she saw a mass of warriors clad in golden armour. Time was running out.

By the time she reached the starport, the sounds of battle were dissipating in the streets. Street scum had no hope against the [Knights of Zakuul](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Knights_of_Zakuul), but inside the close-quarters of the starport the playing field was different, more balanced in favour of the rogues army. It allowed them to fight more creatively instead of relying exclusively on useless [blaster](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Blaster/Legends) weapons. That didn't mean they had a chance, of course, just that Loreli still had time before the starport fell under enemy control.

Stepping over the corpses littering the entrance, Loreli made her way inside, keeping her lightsaber at the ready and her senses on alert.

It wasn't a big place, the town, sitting well out of the way of the two major industrial centres, but even so it saw a decent amount of ship traffic each day and as a direct response the starport was disproportionately large. That, in itself, wasn't an issue. What was an issue was finding a bay that still housed a ship, though it was a problem Loreli had already come up with a solution to.

In the primary waiting room - a wide and largely empty expanse - Loreli immediately came into contact with the two opposing factions battling for control and survival, with Zakuul Knights pinned down behind their shields as the smugglers and mercenaries unleashed a constant stream of blasterfire that - while ineffective at harming them - was so overwhelming the physical force of the impacts made it impossible for them to push forward. A stalemate. For a moment.

Ramps above either side of the stand-off led to the flight control station, which would have traffic logs Loreli could access. Since most arrivals and departures were automated so too was the logging system, meaning even without a live operator the terminal would have recorded anyone fleeing the chaos when they signalled their departure, which they had to do to initiate the automated opening sequence of the individual hangar doors.

Nobody had any reason to go up there other than for the control station so Loreli wasn't stopped, and with the operator abandoning his or her access key all she had to do was take a seat and check the logs.

Bay twelve had the best option. Civilian transport, reasonably close by too. Probably didn't have an owner now anyway, and unlike a Hutt-aligned vessel there'd be no risk of someone taking offence once the smoke cleared.

Leaning over the walkway railing, she could see the battle was still at a stalemate, save for a few dead [Zakuulans](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Zakuul) who looked like they'd been caught by a grenade. It might have been a stalemate, but the ruffians were pushing back admirably against the Zakuulans. Loreli needed to go through _them_ to get to bay twelve.

She placed a hand on the railing to vault herself over, then stopped herself before her feet left the platform. It dawned on her that she was all but invisible. Both sides had ignored her as she'd walked past and the Knights of Zakuul could do nothing to stop her even if they saw her as a threat. Now that she was upstairs and out of their line of sight, she saw a rather obvious opportunity.

Mentally marking out the spots she'd need to cut, the young Sith moved back the way she'd come from and took her lightsaber in-hand, knowing once she started she'd need to move fast or her enemies would realise what she was doing and take steps to avoid it.

She took a breath.

Then, holding her weapon towards the floor, she rolled the activation dial with her thumb and sent the violet blade spearing through the walkway underfoot, dragging the concentrated beam of energy through the cheap metal, one side to the other. Immediately, she pivoted and took a stride forwards, almost throwing herself into an identical movement at her second chosen spot.

Heavy as the piece she'd cut was it was held in place by the rest of the walkway. Loreli straightened up, gritted her teeth and jumped on the spot.

All she was aware of when she landed was cheers, whoops, wolf whistles and a heavy metallic vibration shuddering up through her legs.

* * *

Dust clogged the air on the engineering level, a grotty basement beneath the starport proper that looked like it hadn't been disturbed for decades. Regrettably, that wasn't actually the case. In spite of the all-out warfare engulfing the town and the starport in particular everything inside appeared to be working as intended, damaged though most things were. 

What most of the rogues desperately battling their way to their ships didn't know, however, was that the Eternal Empire controlled the portion of the starport with access to the engineering underlevel, and they'd switched off the main reactor. The starport was running on emergency power reserves. Life support, regular doors, lights and a handful of essential control terminals. That meant the hangar doors weren’t receiving power without a manual reroute from the flight control terminal for every single door.

In short, nobody was going anywhere.

Normally those sorts of problems wouldn't be any trouble for Zhavi Waverunner. She'd helped citizens to repel or stall invaders in the past, namely the Empire, and even a failed Jedi was a force to be reckoned with. Today, though? Today she was dealing with a new threat and thus, a new problem; the Eternal Empire was unstoppable.

She'd tracked their conquest of the known galaxy and watched them spread like a divine plague burning away any attempts at containment, yet today marked the first time she'd been caught on the front line, meeting the [Eternal Fleet](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Eternal_Fleet) and the ominous 'Knights of Zakuul' head-on.

They were competent, relying on group tactics more than anything. Alone they were less effective, inconsistent at times to such a degree that Zhavi had almost got herself killed through overconfidence when an opponent with some actual talent cornered her. Together with the fleet, however, the warriors from Zakuul had taken the galaxy by storm.

Zhavi knew she couldn't help the planet and its people. Her own survival had to be her priority today.

The engineering level wasn't large enough to hide anything for long, so when she spotted the main reactor and the control panel at its base the only surprise was that it'd taken her as long as it had to find it. She stepped up and smoothed dust from the screen, moving her hands over familiar technology almost without thought, reactivating the reactor inside of a few minutes before turning to leave for the final leg of her escape.

There was a heavy thud as she made her way out- the sound of something large striking the ground from above. It shook loose another layer of dust to add to the murky cloud that was already choking Zhavi, and while she could hear sounds through the ceiling - voices she thought - they were too muffled to decipher.

Prepared for another fight, Zhavi put her foot down on the first step back up to the main waiting area.

* * *

Loreli's idea wasn't a unique one, as it turned out. Which didn't come as much of a surprise. The threat of death had a way of turning even the most honest individuals into ship thieves. And this was a Hutt world, so nobody on the planet was honest to begin with.

Unfortunately the would-be thieves had encountered resistance and were now quite dead, pieces of them littering the path from the elevator to the shuttle in the distance. Helmeted faces turned to stare when the door shunted aside.  
“Oh.” She said aloud. “I do not suppose I could convince you to let me and my ship leave peacefully?”  
Like dominoes, the Knights of Zakuul activated their [lightsaber pikes](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Lightsaber_pike/Legends) one after the other, placing four blades between Loreli and her ride off-world.  
“Yes I rather expected that might be the case.”

Four on one was bad odds, especially for Loreli, who was by no means a head-on sort of combatant. What choice did she have though? It was fight or die. Something she was used to by now. Her advantage was their poor form as individuals and their unwieldly equipment; if she could get them in the way of one another she might be able to undermine their collective effectiveness. Divide and conquer.

[Makashi](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Form_II/Legends) wasn't a form well-suited to this fight, however.

Loreli tucked her left arm behind her back and summoned her sabre with her right, turning side-on to her opponents in a patient ready stance, waiting for them to make the first move before she activated her weapon.

And they did of course, the nearest lunging forwards to try and run her through with all the eagerness of a starved [Tuk'ata](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Tuk%27ata/Legends). The others followed his lead, moving in to try and do the same, only for Loreli to engage in a series of side-steps, back-steps and gentle deflections that kept her comfortably out of harm's way.  
“Gentleman, gentlemen… _surely_ you can do better?”  
Another strike from the first attacker, a heavier stab that started low and curved higher in a scooping motion, as if altering the trajectory would somehow confuse Loreli. She simply stepped aside and pushed the blade away. With their shields and close proximity to one another stabs were about all they could do - and she was too quick.

A fact they soon started to realise.  
  
Slowly, matching the pace of her growing uncertainty, the Knights spread apart to begin circling her, firing off another handful of thrusts to keep her rooted as the noose tightened and she was caged in, surrounded.

They still hesitated, striking in an uncoordinated fashion that allowed Loreli to chain her blocks and deflections into a series and create an opening to slip between the gaps in their circle, reversing their positions and placing her with her back towards the ship. She considered making a run for it, but knew deep down that that was a juvenile idea for someone so accustomed to the various uses of the Force.

She had to defeat them to take off safely and that was looking impossible. Their offensive tactics were poor, but they certainly made up for it with their strong defensive style. Those shields were a nightmare to get past.

As they spread out yet again the Chiss ground her teeth, trying to stay calm whilst looking for an opening in the patterns of their movements. Acrobatics seemed to be her best bet against them in such a number, but she wasn't really familiar enough with the elaborate dance routine of [Ataru](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Form_IV/Legends) to execute any of its rapid movements with the required speed and fluidity. They'd simply turn and lock down their defence before she could get through.

Instead, she decided on some classic Sith aggression, surprising them, since she'd displayed only a calm and evasive approach so far. When the next stab came towards her she moved forwards to meet it, spinning tightly into a dodge, but not so widely that she moved too far out to his shield-side.

Using her momentum, Loreli slapped her sabre against the hilt of the pike as it passed her by, pushing it out wide. As he tried to bring his shield up close to his chest to guard against her weapon, she spun again, this time in the opposite direction and with one hand gripping the edge of his shield, catching it as it came in to protect him. She pulled it into her spin. Outwards, away from his body.

It wasn't perfect - she couldn't spin far enough with one hand on his shield - but it was enough. As she felt the muscles in her chest tighten she slashed her lightsaber blindly behind her, released her grip on the shield and dived into a roll to avoid a late attack from one of his friends.

Though she'd cut through his armour and struck flesh, the Knight was still alive, albeit missing his weapon arm. He wailed and screeched and dropped his shield with a thud, tearing his helmet from his head and staring at the blackened stump as though it couldn't possibly be real. In his shock, he staggered back and forgot the fight, simply standing there gawking at the severed appendage, leaving Loreli with just three foes left to outsmart.

Again, they cautiously moved to surround her, a quiet rage bubbling beneath the surface that she decided to prod and poke at.  
“Maybe you should just let me be on my way. Your associate looks like he could use a..." She paused to smile. "Hand.”

On the last syllable, she realised she'd made a horrendous error in judgement.

Riling them up hadn't worked as intended. Quite the opposite; while she tried to goad them into making a sloppy error she could exploit they started to act more like a team, thanks to either an in-built comm or through the Force. Whatever the case, Loreli was hit with a burst of energy from the leftmost Knight that threw her through the air towards the rightmost Knight, who stepped in immediately to slam his shield against her face - a perfect tag-team assault.

Loreli felt her nose burst like a water balloon.

She didn't even feel it when her head struck the hangar floor, but through starry vision she saw the sinister visors of the three Knights staring down at her and realised that was where she'd ended up. A heavy boot began pressing down on her sternum.

* * *

Zhavi wasn't particularly shocked to see Knights in her hangar, but the one missing a helmet and an arm - whimpering in shock on his knees just outside the elevator door - came as a surprise. His mouth opened and closed repeatedly in a panicked attempt to speak when he turned and saw her emerge into the dull expanse of the hangar, and if not for a swift boot to the face on her part he would've alerted his allies.

Their attention seemed to be focused on something lying on the floor ahead, a person by the looks of it, from what little she could make out through their legs. Using the Force to [accelerate herself](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Force_speed) and their lack of peripheral vision to mask her approach, Zhavi leapt from the midpoint between the elevator and the trio of Knights to ensure her footsteps didn't give her away as she closed in.

Igniting her blade as she came in to land, the Knight with his back to her lost his head without ever knowing the danger he was in, while the next was separated from his within a second of spotting her. The third, his boot on the chest of their victim, realised what was happening and tried to move his pike to intercept her. Too little, too late; the blade split through his armour with a satisfyingly warm cackle.

Drawing her weapon back, she ended his suffering the same way she'd ended his colleague's. _A Jedi's duty is to preserve life_ , she remembered, as if her memories were scolding her. Three on one hardly seemed sporting, though.

It seemed, for now, that the hangar was clear. Only Zhavi and the blood-covered woman remained, and Zhavi found herself tempted to leave her to her fate. No doubt she'd been trying to steal Zhavi's ship for her own escape before running into the Knights.  
“Y' lucky t' be alive.” She said softly, kneeling down to help ease the young woman upright. “Four on one's a gamble'a long odds.”  
“It appears to have paid off all the same.”  
“Jus' not in the way y'd hoped, I'd wager. C'mon, le's getcha up. We need t' scoot while this place is still standin'.”  
She leaned close to wrap her arms around the woman and hoist her gently up onto her feet, holding her weight as best she could for fear that she might feel faint and collapse. Zhavi was accustomed to helping people who'd been hurt, but never before had she felt so wary - so exposed - by her proximity to someone in need of assistance.

After all, the woman was a Chiss. Stereotyping though it might've been to be distrustful on that basis alone, that stereotype did exist for a _reason_. When she spotted the Sith lightsaber lying nearby and connected the dots between it and the Knight with the missing arm, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end with unease. Such a combination was rare, and certainly a first for Zhavi. Yet that novelty didn't diminish the threat she posed.  
“Surprised t' find a Sith here.” Zhavi probed delicately, offering a polite smile only for the Chiss to slip out of consciousness in response, nearly hitting the floor again, if not for her waiting arms. The structure surrounding them rattled from some far off explosion and in the quiet of the hangar Zhavi heard screams from outside, reminding her that time was fast slipping away. How easy it would be to simply drop the unconscious Sith and leave, free of the burden and with one less killer in the galaxy.

How easy indeed. If things were ever that easy she wouldn't spend so much time second guessing her decision to get involved with things she ought not to.

Looking down at the youthful blue face and inhaling a mix of blood and an exotic alien tang that caused her nose to twitch inquisitively, Zhavi conceded that saving a Sith was probably a greater evil than letting her die. Nonetheless - and with a mournful sigh - she awkwardly hoisted the stranger's lifeless figure up over her shoulder and began trudging over to her ship.


	3. Chapter 3

**_25 ATC..._ **

Loreli slung her lightsaber to the wall as she charged for Zhavi, indulging in a rare theatrical whim and leaving her composure on the floor with her cape as she set upon the Jedi at full speed.

Zhavi tensed and readied herself for what was coming, yanking her own weapon and loose and tossing it aside similarly. This was to be a passionate engagement. A physical rematch. Their weapons would only get in the way. Kicking off into a low leap, Loreli anchored her trajectory using the Force, defying gravity for the smallest fraction of a moment between her launch and the moment she reached her target, allowing her to sail through the air in a haunting manner.

Augmenting herself with that same power and being far more physically imposing, the Jedi had little trouble intercepting the Sith when they finally collided. The Chiss threw her legs around her waist and coiled them tightly, wrapping herself about Zhavi like a limbed serpent trying to constrict its prey, excited and terrified in the same moment, fearing that if she didn't hold on tightly enough Zhavi might slip loose and disappear again.

She reached up into the Jedi's mass of neat blonde hair with one hand, while the other gripped her shoulder. For a split second, their eyes met, sharing between them an understanding of the passions that had driven them to this confrontation and the risk it posed to the both of them to be there, under no directives but the demands placed on them by their own lust to resume their unfinished business.

Then, without hesitation, the duo tilted their heads and forced their lips together with desperate aggression, a culmination of months of separation and uncertainty that'd built into so much more than a mere reunion. In all honesty, Loreli wasn't sure how long the kiss lasted. The only thoughts in her mind were the taste of Zhavi's flavoured lip gloss and the firmness of the figure pressing against hers through that cheaply-made flightsuit.

It was only when she sensed a flash of concern from one of the [Sith Intelligence](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Sith_Intelligence) agents who'd been tailing her since she landed that prompted her to break off the timeless moment and return - hopefully briefly - to reality.  
“You remembered.” Were her first, unintended words, her mind still on the synthetic taste of cherries.  
“Well my calendar w's open 'n' I felt bored, so..." She glanced down for a second, then back again with an adoring smile. "I'm glad you're here Isla.”  
“And I you Zhavi." Loreli restrained a smile at hearing her childhood name again, a secret known by only two people in the galaxy. "The Empire feels far emptier since my return. But we can do this later, when there's more time to enjoy it.”  
“I sense it. How many?”  
“Just two. A red-haired human, chubby, looks to be in her early thirties. The other's a [Kaleesh](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Kaleesh/Legends). Be careful with him, he seems at ease which I suspect is indicative of his experience in the field.”  
“He won't be the one stood right on the other side of the blast door then.”  
“Likely not.”  
“Bay three.” Zhavi leaned forwards, craning her neck to peck Loreli's cheek before lowering her back onto her feet. “Go. I'll be right behind you.”  
“You'd better be. I'll happily kill everyone on this station to find you if you don't show up.”  
"Not sure whether tha's hot or scary. But, go on, get!”

Against every instinct urging her to stay and fight alongside her Jedi lover, Loreli unsealed the door leading towards the docking bay where Zhavi's ship waited and kept her gaze forwards, vanishing from the eyes of her Sith Intelligence minders with almost intolerable ease.


	4. Chapter 4

“Oh!” Zhavi gasped, jolting in surprise when the blast door opened to reveal a nondescript human woman, just as Isla had warned. “Sorry. Y' surprised me there… sorry.”  
“No worries sugar. Was just tryin' t' figure out why the door was down.”  
“Was wond'rin' 'bout that m'self. Reckon them loose wires prob'ly have somethin' t' do with it.”

Zhavi pointed upwards at the fictional wires with her left hand, then proceeded to punch the agent in the abdomen the moment she turned her attention skyward with her right, doubling her over in pain and leaving her too distracted to react when Zhavi took a handful of hair and used it to guide her face into her rising kneecap. When she straightened up and staggered back with what was likely one hell of a headache, Zhavi swung her fist to strike the spy's jaw and finally knock her out.

Fighting had never been something she'd taken any pleasure in. Friendly sparring, with or without a weapon, was fine. To create the bloody mess she'd made of the woman's face was a step too far for Zhavi, and it was even worse when she herself didn't get hurt in the process. Then she was just beating the seven [Corellian](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Corellia/Legends) hells out of someone, not fighting.  
“Ok. That's one.” She mumbled to herself, pausing to rifle through the woman's pockets for loose change and valuables before looking ahead to see if there was any sign of the second agent tailing Loreli. _A Kaleesh, wasn't it?_ _Easy enough to spot_ , she mused, patting the front pocket of her flightsuit to confirm her [holdout blaster](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Hold-out_blaster/Legends) was where she'd concealed it.

She didn't have to walk far before she spotted the bulky individual, marching down the corridor with heavy footfalls and a cigar in his mouth. He was overt enough that he was fairly convincing as a pirate, but Zhavi could sense the anticipation in his presence, the quiet thrill of a predator following his prey with a singular determination.

Or not so singular as it turned out.

Zhavi moved past him, giving him a wide berth by sticking to the far side of the corridor and making sure she kept her eyes down as she did. She'd assumed he'd think she was afraid of crossing him and wanted to stay out of his way (as was appropriately 'normal' in such a place), yet when they were directly across from one another and Zhavi drew her weapon to fire the muscular Kaleesh mirrored her actions exactly; both of them fired and dodged in the same instant, causing both of their shots to miss.

Of course, the Kaleesh's pistol wasn't set to stun.

Zhavi fired a blind shot in the agent's general direction, ducking and running to find cover as blaster bolts nipped at her heels, forcing her to zigzag and stop-and-start erratically until she reached one of the alcoves spaced along the walls of the corridor.

Her opponent fired at her cover in a regular rhythm for less than a minute, then stopped, prompting Zhavi - with the Force quickening her movements - to lean out and fire at where she believed him to be. As she moved to lean her vision was dazzled, however, when a shot struck the [durasteel](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Durasteel/Legends) protecting her. She shook her head, blinking away the stars in her eyes.

It seemed, unfortunately, that her opponent had stopped firing to switch to a blaster rifle.

So she was out of options; reluctantly, Zhavi snaked a hand inside her flightsuit and drew her lightsaber, clutching it tightly to her chest as she waited for the opportune moment to insert herself into the line of fire. She caressed the ignition switch, closed her eyes, then stepped out, igniting the pink-magenta blade and taking up defensive stance. Two shots bounced off her weapon almost immediately.

Zhavi moved to adjust the position of her blade, changing the angle slightly so that the next shot that came her way skimmed across his shoulder plates, cautioning him against firing again. He held fire, hesitating as Zhavi carefully started to shorten the distance between them. Step by step, the gap began to close, panicking the agent as it dawned on him that he was in serious trouble.

Finally, the tension overwhelmed him and he opened fire in a panic. One shot bounced back from Zhavi's blade to hit his shoulder, turning him slightly, and just enough for the second shot to be easily redirected into the side of his rifle, melting the internal mechanisms. Zhavi began walking back towards the now-defenceless agent.  
“Be sure t' mention this ass-kickin' in y' report, won'tcha?”

Redrawing her pistol, Zhavi pointed it at the Kaleesh and pulled the trigger, projecting a wave of non-lethal energy that slapped the agent hard against the nearest wall. Then, with her usual reluctance, she knelt down beside him and began to whisper [Force-imbued suggestions](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mind_trick/Legends) in his ear to cover their tracks.


	5. Chapter 5

Small and cramped, Zhavi's ship wasn't exactly the epitome of romantic getaways. It smelt much like her flightsuit, for the most part, a faint but lingering scent of mechanical lubricants wafting through every room of the ship. The vessel itself was bare, a glimpse into her former life as a Jedi, with only the living quarters displaying any kind of homely touches, mostly personal belongings scattered here and there.

It'd take little in the way of snooping to see that she travelled light. Loreli had been aboard before, of course, so her surroundings weren't new at all, though on looking around and taking it all in again she smiled, realising some things had slipped her mind. Such as the drawing of the couple holding hands they'd been given by a child they'd helped a few years ago, or the late-night doodles carved lightly into one side of her bedside table.

Loreli _loved_ those little details. In any other circumstance, she'd turn her nose up at such a grubby little vessel - and its whining [hyperdrive](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Hyperdrive/Legends) that kept her up half the night - yet its significance in her life had somehow morphed the dump into a place that felt like... well, home.

Provided her Jedi turned up sooner rather than later.

They'd agreed to be more discreet when they met with one another to avoid the suspicion of Sith Intelligence. Since Loreli was (ostensibly) following leads regarding Jedi safe houses, meeting with a Jedi, or a former Jedi as the case was, wouldn't earn her _too_ much suspicion, but if Zhavi was identified and Loreli saw her repeatedly for long periods of time with no result to show for it her superiors would be... displeased.

Since Zhavi hadn't had contact with the Jedi in decades, those results would be difficult to produce in a timely fashion. So, to avoid her ship being marked, Zhavi had elected to incapacitate anyone tracking Loreli's progress. That she was being tailed was… troubling, however. It meant her superiors wanted to keep a closer eye on her progress this time.

Fortunately, Loreli wasn't stupid. She had a number of well-conceived lies and justifications ready to go should anyone back on [Dromund Kaas](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Dromund_Kaas) start to question her loyalties. Which, to be fair, were not in question. At no stage in her career had she ever come across a rule forbidding a Sith from sleeping with a former Jedi, and it wasn't as if she didn't work herself to the bone the rest of the year.  
  
Sith didn't really take time off, but her excursions with Zhavi were, in her mind, nothing more untoward then a well-earned vacation break.

As she silently recalled the day they'd taken that old-fashioned printed photograph pinned up on the wall by Zhavi's bed, she heard the shrill beeps of the access terminal, followed soon thereafter by the deafening moan of the main door as it pried itself open. Why she didn't get it fixed… well, Loreli had a feeling she knew why, but it was a topic she'd broach further down the line.

Stepping out of the bedroom to greet her, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end when Zhavi came into view, raising the boarding ramp and turning around to spot Loreli waiting there. An involuntary grin split Loreli's composure apart, and Zhavi responded by stepping forwards, sliding her arms around her and restraining the Chiss with a tight squeeze.  
“No problems?”  
“The Kaleesh saw me comin', but the redhead di'n't know what hit 'er.”  
“Did you wipe his memory?”  
She sighed.  
“Mhm.”  
“It's for the best.” She assured her, pulling out of their embrace to look her in the eye. Zhavi had certain issues when it came to influencing the minds of others, reasons that went beyond the ordinary Jedi squeamishness.  
“I know, it's just… well, y'know.”  
“I do.”  
“Right, well, make y'self at home. I'll get us outta here before your entourage comes around, then I need t' jump in the shower.”  
“Yes. You do.” She said with a chuckle. “Do we have a destination in mind?”  
“Nowhere.”  
“I _was_ hoping for somewhere with an atmosphere. You must get tired of visiting grotty spacer haunts too... surely?”  
“I mean nowhere literally babe, not [the port](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Port_Nowhere). Jus' you, me an' the stars. But, if y'd prefer t' land somewhere we could do that. I'm sure there's _somewhere_ out there that ain't a current or former warzone.”  
“I'm not so certain of that personally, but I'm sure if there is we shall find it. I wasn't complaining, though. You, me and the stars sounds quite wonderful.”  
“Ahh nice try, but y've shown y' hand now. We'll find somewhere.”  
“Fine, fine. But nowhere will be just fine until we _do_ come up with a place to go. I'd rather not have those agents wake up with us still being here.”  
“Agreed.” She pointed warningly at Loreli. “Don't mess with my stuff again. Took me an hour t' find my brush after you left last time.”  
" _You_ own a hairbrush?"

Zhavi sighed, leaving Loreli and her teasing smirk to watch as her Jedi lover moved towards the cockpit.  
“As I said last time.” She called after her. “It's known as _tidying up_ in Imperial space. I _will_ domesticate you sooner or later Miss Waverunner.”


	6. Chapter 6

Space was so vast that it was easy to simply disappear. To float aimlessly through the infinite void stretching out between the stars for as long as supplies would last. The odds of some chance encounter with another ship were slim to none, and with the right preparation Zhavi had often wondered if she could simply live like that forever. Maybe position her ship near some artful nebula. A home with a view.

Not that Isla would ever go for it. She was optimistic about convincing her to abandon the Empire, one day, but convincing her to live aboard a beaten up old ship that was obsolete when [Supreme Chancellor](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Supreme_Chancellor/Legends) [Janarus](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Dorian_Janarus) was learning to walk would take more inducement than Zhavi was physically capable of providing.

She'd left Isla ruminating over the starcharts while she took to the shower. It'd only been after leaving hyperspace and beginning her approach to the [shadowport](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Shadowport/Legends) that she'd realised it'd been a while since she'd last bathed, one of many spacer habits she'd always swore she'd never slip into. When she unbuttoned the collar of her flightsuit and eased the zip down a little, the warm air that was set free made her realise keeping Isla distracted was a good call.

Zhavi wasn't sure they were at that stage in their relationship. If they were, she didn't want to be the first one caught at a bad moment.

Switching the shower on to give the water time to run warm, Zhavi snatched up her toothbrush, gave her smile a good once over and checked her reflection in the mirror as she went. Using the shredded wash-cloth she'd been using for the past three-and-a-half months to scrub off an oil stain on her cheek, it suddenly dawned on Zhavi just how poor her overall standards of hygiene had become through living alone for so long.

By the time she'd given the sink a quick, emergency scrub and held her fingers under the shower to check the temperature, she sensed another presence in the refresher with her, though not through the ethereal weave of the Force.

Soft hands settled in to rest on her hips, gently tugging her back against the warm body that'd crept into position so stealthily. Zhavi exhaled a tense breath of laughter, all but paralysed as Isla's lips started to glide up along her neck, stroking from her collarbone to just below her ear where her teasing caress turned into a playful nip, eliciting a twitch of surprise.  
“I need t' shower.” She breathed almost inaudibly, feeling her already questionable self-restraint failing with every thump of her heart.  
“We'll get to that...”  
“Babe...”  
But Isla wasn't about to stop, and despite whatever she said aloud Zhavi was secretly relieved that she didn't, biting her bottom lip when wandering blue fingers slithered around to the front of her flightsuit and pinched the zipper between thumb and forefinger. She paused. Then, slowly, Zhavi felt a low vibration as the two sides of the zip began to part inch by tantalising inch.

Keen though she was, Zhavi's excitement was overshadowed by a creeping terror in the back of her mind. She and Isla had become close, close enough that she should feel comfortable with her, yet every time they got back together after any noteworthy time apart she felt nervous. _Shy_ even.

It was unlike her - and it worried her immensely. It'd been months since they left the [Eternal Alliance](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Eternal_Alliance) and said their goodbyes on [Odessen](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Odessen). What if Zhavi wasn't to her liking any more? What if, when it came down to it, being back among her own people had highlighted the Jedi-turned-spacer's many shortcomings?

Questions that'd been doing laps in her head for the past week, although it was only now that they were together again that she was starting to feel self-conscious. She felt like she was a kid again, running from the [Jedi temple](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Jedi_Temple), unsure of the future and expecting the worst to happen to her - and she was certain that Isla sensed her hesitance.  
“It's never the same.” She purred between kisses, running back down her neck towards her collarbone. “Imagining you from memory.”  
“What?” Zhavi chuckled.  
“Well, I looked into cloning you.” Isla paused again, letting one of her kisses linger. “Sadly it turned out to be rather expensive and would take far... _far_ too long.”  
“There ain't a single one'a y' secret police buddies who gets y' hot under the collar?”  
“Hm.” She grunted amusedly, snaking her hands back onto Zhavi's waist. “There's a pretty face or two in the mix.”  
“Easier than cloning right?”  
“Perhaps I dislike easy. Perhaps I _like_ a challenge. Besides...” Her wrists rotated, repositioning her hands to run them down and cup Zhavi's backside, squeezing aggressively. “I'll never find an arse like this in Sith Intelligence.”  
“Comes with workin' f' a livin'.”  
“And all that running you Jedi do I imagine.”  
“Ah, yeah, 'course, forgot I'm talkin' t' a spy. Famous f' their legendary courage 'n' fightin' prowess. Oh 'n' remind me, whereabouts is it the Chiss're hidin'? Far end'a the [Unknown Regions](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Unknown_Regions/Legends) right? All the way out at the ass-end'a nowhere, then a sharp left from there?”

Isla didn't answer immediately. Instead, her hands hovered to the front of Zhavi's half-unzipped flightsuit and slithered through the thin gap in the fabric to grip the separate sides. The Chiss leaned in to her ear, bathing it with warm, spicy breath that jolted Zhavi's olfactory memory and made vivid what'd been dulled by the passage of time. She tensed up again now that the pause in Isla's advance - a welcome reprieve that'd eased the weight of her self-consciousness - was over.

That nervous realisation lasted for several infinite seconds, precisely the amount of time the cobalt seductress lingered - a literal breath away from her - until she finally broke the tension and freed Zhavi from her prison of apprehension with words spoken at such a wispy volume they were almost unintelligible.  
“Shut up.”

Whether planned or because she'd simply succumbed to her own tricks, Isla wasn't content to continue taking things slowly any more. With her hands on either side of Zhavi's flightsuit, she pulled once - hard - and yanked the two sides of the suit aside, exposing her bare chest to the steam that was slowly escaping from the unattended shower cubicle.

Zhavi inhaled sharply without meaning to, yet before she could properly process the Chiss' sudden sensual fury, slender fingers danced over her navel, reached below her waistline and disappeared into the lower half of her flightsuit to survey what was concealed beneath, navigating towards her destination with a delightfully soft touch. It took just a few seconds of her fingers' curious exploration for Zhavi's previous nervousness to defrost and rapidly melt away.

As the tempo steadily increased Zhavi began to instinctively hunch forwards, curling up as she struggled to withstand a technique that - she might've mentioned at any other moment but the one she was in - Sith Intelligence would do well to adopt as their standard interrogation technique.

Isla intervened as Zhavi gradually keeled over, hooking her left arm around her chest to correct her posture with a forceful motion.

More than that; she leaned Zhavi back against her and Zhavi, now held in place as Isla continued to work on her confidence with her other hand, let her head fall back over her shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut as she ground her teeth, trying desperately to retain some of her composure against what she knew were unbeatable odds.

The kisses still running from her collarbone and up the length of her neck, more passionate and forceful than before, did nothing to slow her arrival at the destination she was headed towards.

In fact, it seemed that Isla was trying harder and harder to get there, spurred on by the quivering of Zhavi's thighs as her constitution was decimated. Mere minutes had passed and yet Zhavi, an active and reasonably fit woman with the Force on her side, had the strength to stand sapped away from her as though targeted by some wonderful form of [Sith sorcery](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Sith_magic).

Isla's restraining arm became increasingly vital to keeping Zhavi from collapsing into a heap on the floor, but she didn't care if she collapsed at all. All she could do was focus on the movement of Isla's fingertips and bite down hard on her lower lip, even if it did nothing in the end; she felt a final, pulsing surge of agonising ecstasy burn outwards from her core.

Then things were taken well out of her control.

Her entire body entered into a fierce convulsion as Isla's efforts culminated in the release she'd fantasised about dozens of times over the past few months, shuddering with the brief intensity of a short-lived earthquake. Her head forced itself back hard against Isla's shoulder and her lips finally parted, drowning out the sound of running water with a scream that - fortunately - nobody else would hear out in the void of deep space.


	7. Chapter 7

Loreli awoke to the high-pitched screeching of the hyperdrive and a terrifying rattle as the ship dropped out of hyperspace, arriving in the [Corusca sector](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Corusca_sector/Legends). She lifted her head slightly in preparation for sitting up, only to pause when a strike of lightning split through her skull.

Groaning, she carried on, emerging from her cosy little alcove between Zhavi's chest and the wall to scout out the terrain and assess the damage from the night before. They'd drank a considerable amount, if the two empty bottles of cheap wine, dozen or so bottles of imported [Rodian](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Rodian/Legends) beer and half a bottle of some foul-looking, swamp-green spirit.

With a homemade and cockeyed label stuck to it.

Somehow, she'd cheated death this time, and though the devoted girlfriend in her considered checking Zhavi's pulse, she quickly remembered that the former Jedi had an as-yet-undiscussed drinking problem and so decided to carefully extricate herself from the torn bedsheets without waking Zhavi instead, sitting on the edge of the bed to assess _precisely_ how rough she felt.

Strewn across the floor were her clothes, the simple black outfit she'd left Imperial space in scattered into its various components, while her toes curled around the underwear dropped alongside the bed. She smiled when she noticed the tear in her discarded knickers, fondly recalling the cause, and realised - in retrospect - that getting dressed after their shower had been a poor decision on her part. It wasn't the first time though, and likely wouldn't be the last.

In fact, there was a bag on Zhavi's ship, somewhere, with Loreli's 'undercover' gear for when she was travelling through Republic space unofficially. Some of that was ripped too.

Loreli often wondered if things would be as intense as they were if they didn't spend so long away from one another, and whether it was the taboo nature of their relationship that kept the fire between them burning with such intensity. Although she supposed it was more taboo for her than for Zhavi. Still, she'd never been in such an energetic partnership, and as a Sith - supposedly a passionate people - that struck her as incredibly ironic.

Not that she was complaining. She ached from head to toe and yet she'd never felt more amazing and energised than she did at that moment. The skull-fracture of a headache she was enduring as payment was the only fault to her otherwise blissful morning.

Throwing on Zhavi's old [Rotworms](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Rotworms) shirt - a few sizes too small for Zhavi nowadays but a snug fit for Loreli - and venturing out across the battlefield of fallen clothing to reach the kitchen, Loreli stumbled over to the [caf](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Caf/Legends) machine and dragged an empty cup beneath the spout, fingering the main button and hoping it still worked. A cup of basic, caf-like liquid was better than no caf at all.

Mercifully the battered piece of second-hand junk was in a good mood and started to drool like a sleeping [Gamorrean](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Gamorrean/Legends), almost filling the cup before it coughed and sputtered and hissed back into standby, leaving Loreli with a tar-like substance. She winced at the smell.  
“No milk m'afraid.” Zhavi said apologetically as she entered the kitchen, rubbing her eyes and coiling her arms around Loreli's waist to greet her. “I know how funny you Imperials get 'bout y' caf.”  
“You're thinking about tea. I wouldn't even dare try whatever poor excuse the Republic has for tea.”  
“Snobs.”  
“It's called sophistication, love.”  
Loreli tilted her head, angling herself to plant her lips squarely against Zhavi's. Even first thing in the morning she had to resist her more unrefined urges, pulling back as the kiss started to go on a little too long.  
“After last night I don't think y' c'n ever claim t' be sophisticated again.”  
“Ha!" She snorted. "Well maybe that's true, but you're the only one who will ever know about that.”  
"I'm holdin' y' t' that... make me one.”  
“If the machine can handle that level of exertion, certainly. I don't understand why you don't simply _buy_ a better one. Surely the domestic electronics section isn't that far from the wine and spirits aisle...”  
“Ooo, claws out this mornin'...”  
“You _know_ I'm right.”  
“Prob'ly, I jus' don't see the issue with mine. Works most'a the time, 'n' it's bin with me f' years. Seems a shame t' throw it out.”  
“It's a caf machine Zhavi not a Zeltron swimwear model.” She turned to hand Zhavi her cup when the machine had finished, flashing her a playful smile.  
“Fine, I'll add it to my weddin' gifts wishlist, but I ain't replacin' it unless it breaks. Need t' have a money cushion in case the ship needs work doin' at some stage.”  
“Sorry.” Loreli said, leaning against the kitchen counter as she felt a smugness rising within her which threatened to explode into a childish grin if she let it. “ _Wedding_ gifts? Are you _proposing_ , Miss Waverunner?”  
Alarm swept over Zhavi's groggy features, rapidly dissolving all trace of sleepiness as her lips started flapping and her eyes widened, wild with panic.  
“Uh, what, no I- I- no, no, I di'n't mean… not that I've not thought 'bout... I mean why wou'n't I? It's jus' things're still s' uncertain 'n'- 'n'- 'n' y' got y' work in the Empire 'n' um, 'n'-”  
“Got you.” Loreli winked, then took a sip of her caf. “That was _adorable_.”  
“I hate you...”  
“Oh I _know_. You sound positively _[Mantellian](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Ord_Mantell/Legends)_ when you're in a panic you know, like you should be off milking something on a farm."  
"I'll milk _you_ in a minute..."  
"I have no idea what that would entail but I'm game if you are."  
Zhavi rolled her eyes, but couldn't stop herself from smiling as she did.  
“I'm goin' back t' bed before I go the same colour as you. I'd say y' can't come 'cause I'm mad but I'd be lyin', so c'mon, move y' fine blue ass outta my kitchen. Y' c'n explain t' me why the hell we seem t' be in the Corusca sector...”

Loreli followed her back to the bedroom, grinning as Zhavi set down her cup and hurriedly took to securing the quilt around her, holding her arm up to invite the Chiss into her shelter of warmth. She slotted herself in alongside her, crossing her legs as Zhavi closed the quilt around them.  
“S' why're we here? Thought y'd prefer t' move _away_ from the [Core Worlds](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Core_Worlds/Legends).” She continued. Loreli cringed on the inside. It was inevitable that she'd have to explain her intentions but she still dreaded Zhavi's reaction. _Keep her calm_ , she thought, then took a breath and set about explaining herself.  
“I could sense how you felt last night.” She began, setting Zhavi up for the obvious jokes to buy herself a few extra seconds.  
“Dammit, _how?_ Was it the uncontrollable tremblin'? Screamin' y' name repeatedly? C'mon tell me! Gotta know what gave me away...”  
“ _Before_ all that.” She pressed. “I could feel your... doubts, your... your insecurity. I _know_ it's just part of you being you, and I _know_ you've got good reasons not to have much faith in people… but it hurts, honestly. It feels like you don't trust me, trust how I _feel_ about you.”  
“I do trust you.”  
“On a rational, conscious level, certainly, I don't disbelieve that, but we both know you worry that I'm just another of your flings, that it's some... some naughty little tryst, a Sith getting her kicks by sneaking around enjoying sordid hook-ups with a Jedi.”  
“I'm not-”  
“-You _know_ what I'm getting at Zhavi. It's important to me that you believe in what we have, in what you _mean_ to _me_ , and last night I could... I could feel that you didn't believe it. It's not the first time but I'll be damned if it won't be the last.”

Thinking, Zhavi didn't say anything for a while, and Loreli didn't dare interrupt her thoughts for fear of making things worse. It all needed to be said, though. Zhavi's paranoia upset Loreli, not only because it troubled Zhavi but also because - as she'd said - it stung that Zhavi convinced herself again and again that Loreli was such a stranger to her that she feared she'd vanish from her life at the drop of a hat.

Eventually, though, Loreli couldn't take the uncomfortable silence any longer. After all, what new paranoia would Zhavi concoct if she let her dwell inside her own mind for too long?  
“I _love_ you, Zhavi. For reasons I couldn't even begin to describe, and others that make no sense even to me.”  
Smiling weakly, the one-time Jedi lowered her head, shying away from facing Loreli head-on as she often did during their more romantic intimate moments.  
“Y' don't need t' worry 'bout reassurin' me… tellin' me what y' think I wanna hear. I'm a worrier. It's jus' what I've always done.”  
“I'm _not_ telling you what you want to hear, I'm telling you what I feel. If you want to hear it, I'd say we're in a good place overall.”  
“I guess.” She sniffed, fighting back emotions that the Jedi had tried to suppress during her childhood. Loreli wasn't Imperial by birth, so she'd avoided the brainwashing that fuelled the hatred of most Sith and Imperials, but over twenty years after leaving them Zhavi still struggled with basic sentient emotions across the board. Her paranoia, her fear, her guilt, her low self-esteem and dangerous lack of confidence in her value as a woman… the Jedi were the source of it all.

They'd failed her and continued to fail her even now, and once she'd realised that Loreli had come to hate those self-righteous zealots just as irrationally as her Sith brethren.  
“Drink your caf.” Loreli said, nudging her affectionately. “Much as I love you your breath is _killing_ me.”  
“Bitch.” She chuckled and reached over for her cup. “Y' haven't said what this is about, though. Where we goin'?”  
“We… We're going to [Coruscant](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Coruscant/Legends)." A pause - a hesitation - then she exposed her intentions to the chilly morning air. "To meet your parents, Zhavi.”  
Zhavi blinked rapidly. Her expression hardened and the glassy shine in her eyes soon dried out as different emotions began to take root.  
“Are you _actually_ insane?”  
“It has to happen eventually...”  
“No it don't!" She sat up, her expression suddenly fierce. "My parents are _Republic military_. Hardcore, foaming at the mouth patriots, an' you… well first off you're a _Chiss_. Pretendin' they won't notice that bit, there's the fact you're also a _Sith_. And not _only_ that, you're a Sith working for Sith _Intelligence_. Do you have _any_ idea how _ridiculous_ this is? They'll shoot you on sight! And that's if you're lucky!”  
“Zhavi...”  
“Not to mention the risk we'd be takin' smugglin' you onto Coruscant in the first place! We'd have to dock on the lower levels then navigate our way up to the surface to get to mom and dad's place, besides which they're still both on active duty so they won't even be home. So, yeah. Seriously we need to just… just turn the ship around, plot a course for somewhere nice where my parents definitely _aren't_ then enjoy our time together before you have to go back. Why would you even… I mean what were you… what made you think I'd ever agree to this?”  
“I didn't. Which is why I _might_ have done something a _little_ underhanded - but well-intentioned!"  
"Whatcha mean?"  
"I mean your parents are already expecting us...”  
Again, Zhavi's eyelids flickered in that ever so slightly intimidating fashion that indicated she was on the verge of a rant.  
“How the _fuck_ …?”  
“Sith Intelligence, remember. It wasn't hard to identify who your parents are, what they do for a living and find out where they live. And, of course, whether or not they were on leave at the moment. I knew they'd been rotated back to Coruscant for a few weeks, so I arranged for our reunion to coincide with their time on the capital... and here we are. Zhavi I'm only doing this because it's important to me that you know I'm here for the long-term, and words evidently won't suffice so this is the most effective next step, whether you like it or not.”  
“That's insane and stalkery and deluded and romantic and… and... you're a lunatic, y'know that right? I… look, in an ideal galaxy, I'd love for you t' meet my parents. But they have enough disappointment t' deal with, what with their only daughter not following the proud family tradition of being an army grunt 'n' bein' a total failure of a Jedi. If I turned up holdin' your hand and said 'hey guys, this is my Chiss Sith Intelligence agent girlfriend'… what do you _think_ is gonna happen?”  
Loreli shrugged, leant forwards to peck Zhavi's nose and squeezed her hand reassuringly.  
“I don't need them to like me, sweetheart, I just need you to see that you're my endgame, not a conquest on my way to [Lordship](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Sith_Lord/Legends).”  
“Oh they'd _love_ that. Maybe we should hold off on this trip till y' get that promotion huh? Go all in!”  
“I should be so lucky... I spend far too much time shagging you to climb the ranks.”  
  
Loreli smirked and tipped back the last few dregs of her caf.  
"Another? I hear the caf on Coruscant is _terribly_ expensive..."


	8. Chapter 8

Coruscant wasn't what Loreli had expected.

It was a giant city - which she'd obviously known beforehand - but the sheer scale of it all was unfathomable. Simply navigating their way up from the seedier and less regulated lower levels without attracting too much attention from local law enforcement had taken several hours, and now they were in the centre of [Galactic City](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Galactic_City), surrounded by an endless forest of towering corporate buildings. In the distance, Loreli could see the immense dome that she knew to be the [Galactic Senate](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Galactic_Senate/Legends), the political heart of the Galactic Republic.

How strange it was.

With her goggles, cheap face-paint and concealing hood, Loreli was unremarkable and unidentifiable. Just another [Pantoran](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Pantoran/Legends), if anyone were to enquire, which was unlikely. Nobody on Coruscant seemed to have any manners. She'd have to take her disguise off before she met Zhavi's parents, naturally, but her paranoid other half had the rest of the face-paint in her bag to reapply the cunning disguise on the return trip.

It was early afternoon - locally - by the time they arrived in the apartment complex, an upmarket building that wasn't the kind of place Loreli would expect a soldier to live. Hopefully, Mr and Mrs Waverunner would be as welcoming as the fancy tower they lived in. She rather doubted it.  
“Can't believe y' talked me int'a this.” Zhavi huffed, nervously adjusting _combed_ hair as they stopped outside her parents' apartment. “This is gonna be awful.”  
“Relax.”  
“How'm I s'posed t' relax? You're insane if y' think this is gonna end anythin' but badly.”  
“I can be very persuasive. And if that fails, so can you.”  
“I'm not gonna use mind tricks on my folks...”  
“Zhavi!” She faux-scolded, smirking and thumbing the doorbell. “I would never _suggest_ such a thing.”  
“Y' suggest it regularly enough f' everybody else.”

Loreli didn't answer. Lightening the mood wasn't helping. She could sense Zhavi's anxiety, a debilitating aura of stress and fear that was starting to drown her own mood and pick away at her confidence. Yet... it was more than just the normal perceptions of the sensory abilities available to every Force user. It was something stronger. Strong enough to influence her own feelings beyond common empathy. Loreli wasn't sensing Zhavi's emotions. She was _feeling_ them, and that could only mean...  
“Do… do you feel that as well?”  
“Yeah…" Zhavi confirmed, frowning in thought. "Like… like a...”  
“A [Force bond](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Force_bond)...”  
The apartment door slid open with a melodic chime to reveal a broad, mustard-skinned [Mirialan](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mirialan/Legends) woman with burn scars sprayed across one side of her head that distorted the traditional black tattoos that were otherwise perfectly mirrored on either side of her face. Her head was shaved, no doubt due to how far past her hairline the scars extended, yet despite all that she wasn't unattractive, just… intimidating with it. Injuries aside, it wasn't hard to see the family resemblance.  
“Zhavi.” She growled in a weathered tone. “Wasn't sure if you were still comin'.”  
“Well, we uh, we had t' dock on the lower levels. Took us a while to get here. Lot of foot traffic 'cause of the... well, 'cause it's Coruscant.”  
“Right." Fierce red eyes fixed on Loreli. "This your girl?”  
“Uh, yeah, yeah. Tha's her."  
"Gonna introduce us?"  
"Right, yeah, sorry. Mom, this is Isla Ahnkett. Isla, this is my mom, Nomi Sofora-Waverunner.”  
“Ahh, Nomi like the [famous Jedi](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Nomi_Sunrider)?” She asked in a well-practised accent more acceptable to the ears of a citizen of the Galactic Republic.  
“Yeah.” Nomi said with a slight hint of a smile. “Like the famous Jedi. Good to meet y' Isla. Come on in. Probably guessed from the apron but I've been workin' on dinner, figured having you two over would give me a chance to cook for a change.”

The duo followed Zhavi's mother inside, taking in the wide open space of the main living area and the balcony dead ahead, which offered a spectacular view of the city. The room itself was sparsely decorated, not unexpected from a military family, with only the odd painting adorning the surrounding walls. Even with her casual knowledge of history Loreli could identify the subject matter of at least three of the artworks, the final battle between the Republic and the [Mandalorians](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mandalorian/Legends) at [Malachor V](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Battle_of_Malachor_V), the battle for the [Star Forge](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Battle_of_Rakata_Prime) above [Rakata Prime](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Lehon) and the much more recent [battle of Bothawui](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Battle_of_Bothawui_\(Second;_Great_Galactic_War\)).

How accurate they were she didn't know, but they were at least pleasant pieces that gave the room a pop of colour, so maybe Zhavi's parents weren't going to be the gun-toting, simple-minded thugs she'd secretly pictured in the back of her mind. Nomi returned to the adjoining kitchen, hobbling on a bulky cybernetic leg. Zhavi took Loreli's hand - tightly - and guided them into position on the sofa, where they waited nervously - hand in hand - for the moment they were both dreading.  
“The old man's doing his exercises, shouldn't be too much longer. Dinner'll be ready in about ten, fifteen minutes. You girls want somethin' in the meantime? Drink?”  
“We're good.” Zhavi answered for the both of them.  
“Wish I had that Jedi telepathy of yours. So, Isla… never met a Pantoran before. Seen plenty around the city and a couple in the field but never to talk to. How'd you two meet?”  
“[Nar Shaddaa](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Nar_Shaddaa/Legends).” Zhavi cut in once again. “Got talkin' in a cantina on the [Promenade](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Promenade), we hit it off and took things from there.”  
“You wipe your girl's ass for her too chick?”  
Scolded thirty seconds into their visit, Zhavi's cheeks flushed - luminously - as she was flooded with embarrassment. That strong, unwelcome feeling of humiliation poured through the Force and into Loreli as she prepared to answer, kicking ruthlessly at her own confidence at a time when she really could have done with it being unblemished and unbruised.  
“Well, um, as Zhavi said, we bumped into each other on Nar Shaddaa and we started chatting and..." Loreli looked to Zhavi with a soft smile, remembering when they'd first met during the [Zakuulan invasion](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Eternal_Empire_conquest). "We just had that spark I suppose."  
“Oversharing much?” She chortled. “C'mon, it's not a job interview. You two been together long? Weeks, months, years? What we talkin' here? This serious? She proposed to you yet?”  
"Mom!"  
"What? Only askin'."  
“ _We've_... been together a few years now, on and off. My work takes me away for long stretches so it doesn't feel all that long, but yeah, it's been a while now.”  
“With how fucked up the galaxy is these days just comin' home at all is somethin' to be thank-” Something Nomi was cooking hissed nosily, spitting hot oils. “Son of a... Anyway, Isla, what line of work you in?”  
“Private security.”  
“Yeah? Pay well?”  
“Mom...”  
“What? Gotta think of your future chick. Love don't pay the bills.”  
“But in front of her? _Really?_ ”  
Nomi didn't get a chance to reply before a Human man entered the kitchen wearing a skin-tight athletic outfit, sweat glistening across his exposed muscles. His hair was predictably short and practical with a rather lumpy forehead beneath it, which seemed strange until Loreli remembered Zhavi mentioning her grandfather was a [Zabrak](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Zabrak/Legends), though Zabrak or not, he had enough Human DNA in him to keep his hair, even sporting a tidy moustache. But most noticeably, he had the same striking orange eyes that'd attracted Loreli within seconds of her first laying eyes on Zhavi, another gift from her grandfather.  
“Thought I heard the rumble of an interrogation coming from the kitchen.” He said with a grin, passing through the kitchen half of the room and into the living area, approaching Zhavi with his arms opened wide for a hug. “How's my favourite daughter doing these days?”  
“No idea, but I'm doin' good if that helps?” She said as she got up to hug him. “Was just tellin' Mom how it's rude t' interrogate someone's girlfriend 'bout how many credits they got in their account...”  
“Ah! Apologies about my wife Isla. Wonderful chef, but she'd never make it as a hostess, will you dear?”  
“I'm honest.”  
“Aha! Maybe _too_ honest. Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Isla. Name's Yuri.” He offered his hand and Loreli obliged, trying not to wince as he attempted to juice the blood from her hand. “Gotta say if you can keep strong-arming my little girl into coming home more than once every decade you've got my fatherly vote of approval.”  
“Y' never in anyway!”  
“I'll remember that excuse when I finally get to retire. Anyway, come on, tell me all about your latest adventures out there among the stars. I'm sure you've got some stories to tell.”  
“Um, well, actually Dad Isla 'n' I came here today t' talk t' y' both 'bout, um, somethin', uh, important. I mean... I need t' _tell_ y' somethin' important.”  
“Course sweetheart, you know you can tell us anything.” He sat down in the sofa opposite, Nomi above and behind him, still working in the kitchen, creating a clear two-faction layout within the conversation. “Well, not _anything_... my old heart probably couldn't handle _anything_ , but you know what I mean.”  
“This is serious Dad...”  
“Alright… you uh, you in some kind of trouble kiddo?”  
“That depends on you...” Yuri said nothing, only offering a baffled but patient frown in response. “Just… remember that it's me y' talkin' to, kay? Y' need t' trust me 'n' not overreact or nothin', yeah?”  
“You're starting to scare me Zhavi. What's going on?”  
Loreli had already thought out how she'd react to the various plausible reactions they could expect from Zhavi's parents. Now, though, with Zhavi's anxiety worsening by the second - and that anxiety channelling unconsciously into Loreli's mind - she was starting to sweat nervously, bouncing her foot under the table. A habit of Zhavi's, not hers. _Of all the times for this to happen..._

That table was the only thing between herself and the two Republic diehards.

Sharing a look, the two women silently agreed to knuckle down and pull the plaster off quickly rather than drag the tension on any longer. Zhavi nodded, her face as pink as a berry and her jaw tight enough to crack stone; the picture of distress. Slowly, Loreli raised her hands to wipe off the yellow markings painted onto her face and remove her goggles, taking a breath as the clips came undone and the room was left in silence.

Silence that lasted until Loreli, feeding on Zhavi's weakness to the tense situation, broke under the weight of the prolonged suspense.  
“Surprise!” She exclaimed, knowing she would go to her grave never understanding why.


End file.
